Baseball MLB Betting in Canada

As with most sports, there are a multitude of betting options for Baseball. Ever since the Expos left for Washington, Canadian hopes for a World Series have rested with the Blue Jays, but it’s been one frustrating season after another for a long time. Don’t worry though, even if the Jays aren’t winning, you can still enjoy baseball a little more if there’s a few bucks riding on the game.

The most popular markets are the overall outcome, the handicap and the over and under, but you can bet on just about all aspects of the game from who will reach the World Series to individual player props to regional division winners. There are also a variety of bets on match day allowing you to bet on multiple team parlays. The chances are if it happens, you can get a bet on it. Almost all of the sportsbooks out there support lines on baseball and it would be impossible to go through them all, so we will look at the betting sites which are most ‘Canadian-friendly‘.

How to bet on Baseball games online

All North American sports are getting more attention from bettors across the world and there are a number of reasons for that. Wider TV coverage is partly responsible and while baseball has, traditionally, only been accessible in Canada and the USA, the increase in live broadcasting takes the sport into homes across Europe and beyond.

Baseball also has a growing global scene although the MLB remains the most popular league in the world. While following Major League Baseball, a growing army of punters are also starting to realise that this is a fascinating sport to bet on. There are fewer shocks here than in many sports so the result betting is relatively comfortable to predict but for those who want to make things a little more interesting, there is a host of prop bets attached to each game. There is choice but essentially this is a simple sport where punters can focus on the main markets and not be distracted by a host of obscure props.

The rise in Baseball’s popularity also means that more sportsbooks have realised its potential. Odds have become more competitive as bookmakers look to get their slice of the pie while markets have expanded and promotions have started to trickle in. In short, there’s never been a better time to get involved with baseball betting online.

What is a Betting Line

A betting line purely refers to an outcome in a sporting event and for baseball, there are lots of different options which we will deal with in the next section. A line will be laid down by the bookmaker in question and the bettor simply has to decide whether to take them on.

Here, then, is a round up of the main lines that a sportsbook will provide for MLB games and for most professional baseball matches around the world.

Money Line Betting

A money line is the most simple bet of all as it merely refers to the match result. The line relates to the odds of the two teams on show so it could be that the stronger side carries odds of -100 and the weaker team is at +500. Those are just examples but by using your intended stake you can easily work out how much profit you get if you make a correct call.

The Money Line term is favoured by US and North American sportsbooks while in other parts of the world it may simply be referred to as result betting.

Run line bets

A run line bet in baseball is referred to as a handicap in certain parts of the world and it will involve the process of giving a notional head start in terms of runs – usually to the stronger team. Commonly, the run line will be set at 1.5 and when that happens, the team with the shorter odds will have to win by two runs or more in order to deliver a profit.

Alternatively, punters can back on the weaker team and if they win, or if they lose the match by just one run, a profit will land.

Totals Baseball Betting

In baseball, totals betting simply involves the amount of runs scored in any game. The sportsbook will set a line and it’s the task of the bettor to go either above or below that line.

Totals bets can relate to the combined score between the two sides but most bookmakers will also list markets for total runs scored by each team. Therefore, there are three possible markets to get involved with for totals betting in baseball.

Futures, Props and Parlay Bets

A futures bet in baseball relates to outright wins in upcoming tournaments. This could therefore relate to the MLB and the world series which is the most popular option and has markets open many months ahead of the first game of the season.

Prop bets are for any side markets that are not mentioned on this review but they are rare and will only be published for the bigger games. A parlay, meanwhile, is a combination of two or more bets which combine and both have to win in order for a profit to be paid out.

How does Baseball Point Spread Work?

A point spread in baseball is simply another phrase for the money line bet. This can be confusing as in other sports, a spread means something entirely different so it’s important to understand the exact meaning.

The very nature of the game means that a traditional point spread wouldn’t really work here because the most it could be moved would be by 0.5 of a run which would not be as significant a margin as it would be in basketball or NFL. Point Spread in baseball therefore just refers to the money line.

Baseball Live Bet

Baseball is quite a long and methodical game and that gives punters plenty of time to get involved with the live markets once a match has started. From the very first pitch, the in play options take over with odds that change quickly and could provide better value than their ante post counterparts.

You can bet on all the ante post bets here including the money line result and the run line. Totals and other props will also be released and will be here for those who want to stake after the first pitch. Live betting is exciting and odds can be higher but you need a strong analytical brain and be able to read a baseball match if you are going to be successful here. Remember too to download the sportsbook’s app so you can bet on the go via your mobile device and never miss a strong live bet.

Baseball Betting Strategies

Check Injury Reports

Form will always play a part in your betting strategy but baseball is a sport where injuries can really have an affect. This is particularly obvious with pitchers who place wear and tear on arms and shoulders every week and of course, they are such key players in the game.

Injury reports for the MLB are updated on a regular basis and can easily be accessed on one of a number of sports websites. A quick search will reveal a selection of these and it’s important to check injury news before staking on a match as they can have such an effect on its outcome.

Check Value in Betting Odds

For professional gamblers, finding value is the key to making a living. It can be hard to define but it occurs when odds are set for an outcome that are higher than their mathematical probability.

In baseball, statistics can help you unlock the key so, if the Yankees are shown to beat the Red Sox nine times in every ten meetings, there is value in their win odds if they are priced at a figure that is longer than the equivalent 90% win ratio. Further study of value is recommended as it can be vital in your quest for successful baseball betting.

Best Baseball (MLB) Betting Sites

With all that knowledge of baseball betting taken on board, you now need to find the best sportsbooks to partner in with. These sites should be giving you value, through competitive odds, plus a choice of markets covering all the possible bets that we have listed above. A list of live betting markets will also be essential for those that like to bet in play.

There are lots of sites available but among those that we recommend are Bet365, Sports Interaction, Betway and 888Sport. They all take baseball betting very seriously and will give you that optimum mix of choice and value that we all need.

888sport.com

888sport is a relative newcomer to baseball betting. The firm has a good reputation in the casino and poker markets and although it has had a full sportsbook since 1997, it is never been well known as a big hitter in baseball betting. It hasn’t taken 888sport long to catch up. There is a substantial list of bets available. First up, you have around a dozen markets per game. Total number of runs, first team to score, over/under, first innings winners and first five innings are all covered.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. The amount of future bets available on 88sport is staggering. There are over 250 individual markets to bet on. Furthermore there is a comprehensive live betting portal as well as a handy app which is compatible with iphone and android. The odds on offer are competitive, but it is the sheer number of bets available that is the main attraction. 888sport seem to be really trying to invest in Canadian customers are making a big play to attract Canucks at the moment. Canadian dollars are accepted and there are a lot of Canadian banking options available.

SportsInteraction.com

Never one to be outdone, Sportsinteraction also boasts a huge range of baseball bets. It even outdoes 888sport in offering 24 bets per game as well as an extensive book on futures. In fact, it has even more betting lines than 888sport. Sportsinteraction has to have one of the most comprehensive sportsbooks out there. When you take into consideration it’s brilliant stats and preview section, not to mention the fully interactive nature of it’s site, you are looking at one of the best betting platforms available. Add to this a full live betting section and full mobile site and you are looking at something special.

Once again Canadians are well catered for when it comes to banking options and there are some tempting promos on offer exclusively for Canadian customers into the bargain. As with most sites (presumably because of TV rights) there is no live streaming available, but the wide coverage of baseball on television means this isn’t really an issue. Sportsinteraction’s odds are sharp without being overly generous. I was very impressed by the amount of markets available on 888sport, but if anything Sportsinteraction surpasses this. A truly great site for people interested in sports betting in general and baseball in particular.

Bet365

Bet365 may be a European based site, but it’s dedication to baseball betting is impressive. You can bet on Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball and Mexican League. There are a number of bets available per game and a healthy list of futures betting. As it is a European site, there may not be quite as many markets available as on 888sport or Sportsinteraction, but while it may not match the depth of 888sport and Sportsinteraction in the number of betting markets, it compensates for this by the generous odds and promotions available in games.

You can get 50% bonus on multiple game parlays and a number of additional promos per game. One aspect that Bet365 does trump it’s North American competitors is it’s very impressive statistics section. Anything (and I do mean anything) you want to know can be found here. For a site that doesn’t have a great history of baseball betting it is an incredibly detailed section. It also suggests that Bet365 are serious about expanding their baseball lines given the level of detail. The site is huge and you can guarantee they won’t want to miss out on a sportsbook as lucrative as baseball. In play betting is also excellent and you can access their mobile betting either through an app or via their mobile site. They have every angle covered.

Ca.sportingbet.com

Sportingbet is a site with a real focus on Canadian customers. Despite being operated out of the UK and recently being bought over by William Hill, the site has never lost site of it’s commitment to Canadians. Canadian dollars are accepted and you can deposit and withdraw using a variety of methods familiar to Canadians. The main appeal of this site is how user friendly it is. Yes, there is an extensive list of baseball betting, but it is presented in a manner which is very easy to negotiate and easy to understand for customers who are not overly familiar with the ins and outs of baseball betting. There is a great line in special props and player match-ups which inject a bit of fun into proceedings. Odds on outsiders are more generous than those available for favourites and they aren’t as generous for future events as Bet365 or Sportsinteraction, but on the whole it is a very good site with much to offer. The live betting and mobile betting portals are solid also.

As the popularity of baseball in North America and beyond soars, so too does the number of betting options available. With a sport as statistic-heavy as baseball, it stands to reason that you will be able to bet on it’s every dimension. With more and more European-based bookmakers turning their attention to the sport it can only be good news for baseball fans. There will be an increase in betting lines available, not to mention more competitive odds. At the moment, the North American sites lead the way, but they will have to stay sharp to fend off the European competition.